Bleed For My Lover
by Lyson
Summary: /Original Reviews 41/ After the Pharoah was gifted with his body, Yugi was happy. He'd never thought about the fact that the Pharoah might not have been the man he was as an incorporeal being. Now a darkness has been unleashed and at the top of the cold Kingdom stands the Pharoah. Once again ,Yugi has to save his friends and the world as he knows it.
1. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

The sun was nowhere to be found, it was covered by clouds and there was thunder rumbling somewhere off in the distance. It would rain, I never doubted, it would pour…when it rains it pours.

Somehow though I never managed to have a miserable day, whether school sucked, or I argued with a friend, occasionally had days where it was life or death and I, at 16, was destined to save the world…nothing really made me miserable.

I smiled now as I looked across the living room into the kitchen, Yami was baking. I still called him Pharoah at that time, I knew he liked being called that because it reminded him of what was before all of this, his time in Egypt.

But the rest of the 'gang' called him Yami, they liked it better that he had a name…oh and a body. He was lucky he was rewarded so well by his ancient ancestors, he was supposed to be dead after all.  
I was glad they chose not to take him to his grave…or he would not have been here, as my best friend. He exited the kitchen and came to sit next to me with a fresh cooled tray of biscuits, they smelled distinctively like gingerbread and my mouth watered as I took a breath of the delicious baked goods.

"Damn, that smells awesome." I complimented him and watched him smile with pride, he loved doing things in modern times and getting them right.  
"Yugi…isn't this your favorite kind?"  
I blinked,  
"Yeah…how'd you know?"  
"Well the recipe was on the refrigerator actually…"  
I picked up one of them and started eating on it, it really did taste amazing, like he had done the measurements perfectly and it was so good that before I knew it I was eating my third one.

I never realized that the entire time he had been staring at me and then when I did I felt like a pig,  
"I'm…real…ly, sorry…" I was swallowing the chunks of biscuit awkwardly, "…I just…they taste really good…" I was blushing too because I was embarrassed and he was laughing at me.

I pouted like a child and wiped away the crumbs on my mouth with my jacket sleeve, getting up to leave, probably to my room, had I gotten far.  
But Yami grabbed me by my waist and pulled me into his lap, the tray on the sofa next to us. I looked at him, not at all surprised by this closeness and he pulled me closer still, laying my head on his shoulder.  
"I apologize for laughing…you know I just cant resist your antics…am I forgiven?" he whispered into my ear and I sighed happily…again remembering why I never was miserable.  
"Of course Pharaoh…you know I can't be mad at you."

He laughed lightly and I frowned at his amusement, seeing my expectant look he grinned like a child, getting up with me in his arms,  
"I recall many a time when you threw all kinds of objects, including food at me when you were angry with my teasing you…" he reminded me and I blushed,  
"Its never for too long though…" I defended as he carried me into the kitchen.  
He set me atop the kitchen counter and I watched him fiddle between the fridge and cupboards, retrieving two glasses and the milk carton.

He set them down next to me and poured milk for both of us. We were silent as we drank, but I loved how he always stared at me, looking directly into my eyes.  
He looked as though he might be my older brother…again I was pleased that he wasn't related to me for my own reasons…-cough-

I looked him over as I finished off my milk, he wore dark denim jeans and a black 'I'm with stupid' T-shirt. He just looked to be an ordinary teen or young adult…he looked so simply happy.

He placed his glass down and came to stand between my legs, placing his arms around me, he held me closely against him. I put my glass down and wrapped my arms round his neck, burying my face in the crook of his neck, my legs wrapping lightly around his waist. We stayed that way for minutes, just holding each other.

His lips again came to my ear,  
"I love you Yugi…" he placed a kiss on my neck.  
I smiled in complete bliss,  
I love you Pharaoh…" I gripped tighter.

I never knew…I just never knew how soon I'd have to let go.


	2. These Days

**These Days**

* * *

Yugi stood on the desolate street looking at the remains of Joey Wheelers home. He felt so hurt just looking at the place that was once his second home, now it was just destroyed. He walked up the broken parts of steps and climbed under hanging rubble to step in side, well the partial inside. The debris dust was suspended in the air as it had been another scorching hot day, just like the days of Egypt.

"Joey?" Yugi called out and it rang hollow as he glanced at the rubble lying all over what was once a living room.

The dust swirled as he disturbed it with his movements crossing through the space.

He walked over the remains of a living room chair and kicked wooden pieces out of his way from a dining table, more dust flying up which he used a hand to pointlessly fan away from his face.

Yugi stopped after a small cough and sat on a large rubble piece, sweat was dripping off his nose. His clothes were tattered and sweat drenched, the T shirt he wore was stained with dried blood from past run ins with the 'wrong' people, it was also ripped at the center in the front. This left bruises on his stomach and ribs visible and his jeans were torn as well, hanging lower on his thinner hips.

He reached into the satchel he carried and pulled out bottled water, one of maybe twenty in his bag.

Yugi looked up and around…he never smiled anymore,

"Hey, I brought water! I went into the city to see what was still good in the malls. Most of the stores are worse off now than 2 days ago. The food is no good though, what we picked up last was about it…" he informed the space around him and then sipped from a bottle of water.

Some noise was heard around a corner in what was once a bedroom and then a tall blonde stepped over a large fallen partially crushed divider unit blocking half the doorway. He was worse for wear too, his hair full of sand and dirt and sticking to his face from sweat, his clothes torn and his body also bruised and thinner.

He looked over at Yugi and navigated his way through the destruction until he reached his short friend.

Joey took the offered bottle of water,

"So nothing…" he felt like his stomach was pulling and swaying with hunger. They hadn't eaten sufficiently in at least a week and a half, no proper food.

Joey sat down heavily next to Yugi, who scooted over so he fit better on the uncomfortable ceiling rubble.

Yugi dropped some candy bars into Joey's lap,

"The candy was still good, I got what I could but I think we should go easy on it you know, the place has been raided already so there wasn't much..."

"Yeah, used to going easy by now…" Joey said bitterly as he ripped open a candy bar of chocolate and nuts.

Yugi stared at the ground with bitterness of his own.

He knew that they all blamed him for everything that happened but it wasn't really his fault. How could he have known that behind that beautiful perfect smile and charm Yami was just waiting to show his true colors?

"Yug, let's get going, if we stay here one more night the rats back there will get us in our sleep…" he gestured to the room he was just in and as if on cue a fat rat passed over the rubble not far away.

"It's late noon, where do you expect us to go?" Yugi frowned, his voice defeated.

"Come on, you know we always find a place. We just came back here to look for valuables but the place has been looted. And it's probably by the shadow bastards any way." He said angrily and bit off half the bar in one go, chewing it harshly.

Yugi shuddered at the thought of them, even after multiple run ins and needing to defend himself against them, still they made his blood run cold. They were dark hooded beings that chilled the air around them, Yugi recognized them from passed battles with the shadow realm creatures but these had blue metallic eyes, a miserable aroma of scented oil and they were frozen to the touch.

And worse, completely corporeal and lucid, which made them clever and manipulative.

"We should go before it gets dark Yugi…" Joey stood waiting at the broken entrance that Yugi had entered through. And so Yugi stood, legs exhausted from endless travelling but still he would walk in his boots with worn soles.

They walked out into the torrid sun and along the empty street some way, passing what used to be Yugi's home on another familiar street. Yugi looked away, tears lining his eyes…they had tried to avoid these streets for so long.

It brought up so many **horrible **memories.

Flashbacks of Yami killing his grandfather right in front of him in cold blood past through his mind, he had watched his grandfather die, the slit at the front of his throat pouring blood that ran over the old hands trying to conceal the wound. He had just stood shivering in horror as the body fell forward and behind his grandfather stood Yami, the darkest look imaginable in his magenta eyes and no remorse…

…nothing human in his eyes.

"Yugi!" Joey shouted.

Yugi snapped out of it and saw Joey standing at a convenience store that seemed to be more or less intact. He forced himself to shake off the horror clinging to his mind and walked over to Joey looking through the window,

"How do you think it's stayed this way, Slypher destroyed everything, how was this missed?" Yugi was more just wondering aloud, pressing his hands against the glass and leaning forward to look inside.

Joey was about to venture a guess when they heard running footsteps and both turned to find a young boy, dishellved and rugged as they were but about eleven years old, running toward them.

"Don't go in there!" he yelled and they both removed their hands from the glass window.

Yugi and Joey walked away from the store over to the boy who soon reached them at a jogging pace, heaving to breathe he leaned over hands on knees,

"Don't go in there…**ever**…you'll kill us all." He breathed out looked distressed.

Yugi and Joey exchanged glances,

"What ya talkin' bout kid?" Joey asked.

The green eyed boy looked at them and stood up holding his aching side. His lengthy brown hair was messy and dirty, he was very thin, his face scarred with red lines like Yugi and Joey's own, marks of the Shadow Creatures.

"It's a decoy sort of…an attractive building appearing to offer food and shelter, all the things we need…but if you step inside it somehow alerts the Creatures and they come directly from there…it's like a…"

"Portal…" Yugi looked back to the store, "…that makes sense, it's a direct portal for where they come from…which is…" he trailed off a bit dazed with a rush of thoughts.

"The palace, Yugi, where Yami is…" Joey said irritably and looked back to the boy, "What's your name kid?"

The boy pushed hair away from his dirty, sweaty face and stood up straight still holding his side,

"Theodin…my sister Carain is back in that building's underground safe room. There are a few others there, not many. We stay hidden and its sound proofed so we have relative safety from **them**. You're welcome to join us if you need to?" Theodin offered.

Joey cracked a smile,

"You got food? Supplies have been low you know what I mean?" he laughed and the boy smiled,

"Yes we have a good stock and with generators we've managed to freeze food and have lighting and all of that. It's peaceful, for now." He turned and waved his hand for them to follow, "Come…let's get out of the open…"

Joey was very happy now with the prospect of a meal and he took a few steps after Theodin but stopped when Yugi didn't follow,

"Hey Yug, let's move man, we got a place to crash…with food." He said out loud.

Yugi had been staring at the ground but he looked up to see Joey and the boy waiting and he sighed.

As he walked he glanced back to that store, that was a direct route to Yami…and Yugi still had a slowly dying hope that he could restore the Yami from his past, the Yami who he **loved** so much…

* * *

There were seven people there besides Joey, Yugi and Theodin. A green eyed, brown haired young girl, most likely the aforementioned Carain, two middle aged people, a man and a woman who appeared to be a couple. There was another older boy of maybe eighteen with deep scars lining his face plus another woman of maybe forty and her two children of seven or eight, twins.

It wasn't a large space but with the semi useable furniture and smell of cooked food it seemed like heaven just then. Except for the fact it was very hot but they were used to that by now.

The woman from the couple stood when they entered the safe room,

"Who are these people?" she said slightly panicked.

Times were dangerous after all.

Theodin looked to his older sister after he closed the large door and locked it, she spoke up,

"We will help any stray people who are not taken yet and these two boys need our help. Same as you did Erin." Her voice was firm and Erin, as she was called, flopped back into the dusty seat.

Carain turned to them with a genuine smile,

"Please make yourselves comfortable and I'll get some food for you, it has meat rations so it'll give you some strength." She moved away to the tiny make shift kitchen which was no kitchen at all but served its purpose.

* * *

Once Yugi and Joey got passed the stares and were eating food, they felt more comfortable and even safer. Theodin was talkative unsurprisingly, offering stories of his run ins with Creatures and Joey offered his more valiant versions of his confrontations and somehow managed to be the young boys hero too.

Yugi thought how nice it was that they all let go so easily…but he couldn't, he lived with the guilt knowing Yami was free because of him helping Yami, he brought this misery to everyone.

He had released Yami from his Millennium Puzzle -he hadn't known it was a prison- he'd released him from his bindings. He made people believe Yami was good and so he was granted a body by the powers of his Ancestors.

It was his plan all along…just using Yugi…

He was not paying attention until Theodin started speaking with more conspiracy in his voice,

"I've seen him you know, the **Great Pharaoh**..." Theodin said the title sarcastically and Yugi looked at him, Joey had also gone quiet. The others glanced over but probably having heard the story, they just looked away again.

Theodin noticed the intent interest and continued with more enthusiasm,

"I'm one of the few you know, to see **him**. It was a bad day, I ran out because I needed to find a few supplies but I'd left late and it was dark by the time I got done." He told his story with his hands, gesturing as he talked, "I was walking back here on the street further down and I saw the Creatures in big groups, like gathering around. **He **was with them, standing and looking at another person also dressed in those **weird** Egyptian clothes, much taller though…" he trailed off seeing Yugi and Joey look at each other.

Both knew now that after wondering for months about where Seto Kaiba was, that he was at his Pharaoh's side, just like in the stories of the Millennium Puzzle, Seto was now **Seth**.

"I know you must think I'm lying but I'm not…" he defended when he saw their discouraged looks "…he's nothing fancy and he's really short too…" Theodin said nonchalantly.

"He…I mean they didn't see you?" Yugi questioned.

"Nope, I stood around a little longer, not wanting to move and make a noise and then they all went through another portal thing like the one in that store today…" he scratched his face with dirty nails.

"How do you know about the store?" Yugi asked another question.

Theodin looked sad now and he sighed,

"Because that's how me and Carain lost our parents…" he mumbled, staring at his holey shoes.

Yugi backed off now, remembering watching his grandfather die and Joey fell silent too.

Memories like that shouldn't have to be remembered by anyone.

Theodin seemed less enthusiastic now and his sister called him to sleep, her face sad too.

After a while she came to the two of them sitting at the wooden chipped table,

"You two can sleep there…" she gestured to two mattresses lied out next to each other on the floor under a shelf, "…it's all we can offer." She said sadly.

Yugi stood and touched her shoulder,

"You're doing an amazing job managing this situation Carain…and Joey and I appreciate you allowing us here and giving us a place to sleep." He offered his best smile, which hurt because his lip was cut.

Joey smiled, he never looked as goofy as he used too though,

"Yeah thanks a lot, we really are grateful." He added.

She smiled happily and hugged them both quickly, blushing now, she rushed away after a mumbled 'goodnight'.

They immediately forgot about her when the small make shift lamps each group had started to switch off and they sat down again, lowering their voices to speak.

Joey shook his head tiredly,

"So that rich asshole just jumped into it with Yami…you'd think Kaiba would give a fuck…but I guess power was his thing always…" he pressed his fists into the table.

Yugi sighed as he stared at a cut over Joey's eyebrow,

"I don't think it works that way…I think that he awakened Seth inside Seto…Kaiba never did go for the whole ancient Egyptian story…" Yugi tapped the table and then dropped his eyes to it, "…like how he possessed the other people and made them followers."

Joey pulled his mouth down at the end,

"Yeah… you always did give Kaiba the benefit of the doubt…" he mumbled and Yugi frowned sadly, "If Yami didn't have all seven Millennium Items he wouldn't be able to harness the power he has. If we could get one of them it would help…I'm so sure." Joey let ideas run through his mind, he ran a hand through his greasy hair.

Yugi remained silent while guilt flooded him tenfold but it barely showed because he always felt guilty, he always looked empty. 

He looked up at Joey who was clearly exhausted and he felt his own exhaustion as he blinked slowly,

"Let's try getting some sleep Joey, our bodies are taxed and our minds are too, we may as well just sleep and then think about things clearly tomorrow."

Joey didn't hesitate to agree and very quickly they were in their sleeping places and silence was now the only sound.

But not the good silence, the eerie kind, where you feel like something's wrong and something **is** wrong.

Yugi never slept well, it was either nightmares or restlessness as his options.

Right then he lay there awake in the dark, crying silent tears that ran warm over his dirty cheeks.

He was **betrayed** by Yami, by the promises Yami made as his **friend**…and…**more**.

Yugi felt dirty thinking of how Yami clouded his judgment with kisses and touches in intimate moments.

Such cruel manipulation…

Telling Yugi so many things as he ran his hands over Yugi's body in gentle motions, always calm and caring and sweet, but really…pure evil.

Yugi felt so foolish having been so weak to Yami's words and lies but he didn't want to dwell, he had to make it right…if only he knew how.

If only Yami would come back to him…if only everything would just go back to how it was...

* * *

The following morning was as hot as the one before and Yugi found after washing up, each person had a small bucket and a wash cloth, Yugi and Joey were given as well, that he couldn't stand being down there any longer.

He walked out and up into the building and then onto the street where the sun further increased his misery. He pulled out one of the bottles of water from his satchel and began walking, sipping occasionally.

He walked until he was very far from the underground safe room and then he walked into an apartment building for some shade, making his way carefully up until he was on the third floor, out of pure boredom.

The usual rubble and occasional rat was around but he didn't care, he'd become so used to it.

He sat on a half destroyed sofa in an apartment and he sighed, again the ever present dust welled up around his lithe figure, getting onto his tattered clothes, it also matted his hair further.

It was so quiet…he looked around.

Guilt flooded Yugi again, his eyebrows drawing together, as he saw a torn duel monsters card lying next to some rubble but the picture was absent an so was the name.

Since Yami evoked the power of the Millennium Items all duel monsters were brought to life in his command, save for one for each of the chosen duelists of the past.

Yugi, Joey and Kaiba…but no longer Kaiba as they had recently discovered from Theodin.

Kaiba had betrayed them or he was captured by Yami's power, how would he ever know…?

His chest ached and his stomach turned as he brought his legs up and held his knees with his arms.

Taia was dead, Rebecca, Duke, Tristan, his own grandfather…and countless others too.

Pegasus was somewhere they assumed since no one had heard from him or of him, Mocuba was **dead** and that made it hard for Yugi to believe Kaiba had turned on them for power.

He stared at nothing as he rested his chin on his knees.

No one…had asked Yugi why Yami hadn't killed him.

The Pharaoh had even tried to kill Joey at one point, but **never** Yugi.

They all assumed it was because Yami had been in love with Yugi…but Yugi knew better, although he had never told anyone…

**Yami had tried to kill him…**

He wiped tears away from his eyes and reached into his satchel, pulling out the biggest secret he'd ever kept… the Millennium Puzzle.

If it hadn't been for the puzzle Yami would have cut Yugi's heart out…**literally.**

Yugi felt so angry and hurt now that the tears fell freely, his grip on the Millennium Puzzle hurting his own hands as the sharp corners cut into his palms, his teeth clenched tightly.

He was startled from his tears when he felt energy rush through him and he panicked, his magenta eyes wide and worried as he hiccupped on his last sob.

He knew that **feeling!**

For the first time in recent months, the Millennium Puzzle lit up and Yugi again felt the familiar surge of power rush through him, he felt his breathing quickly become erratic as he panicked.

He held the puzzle away from him, he couldn't think of why it would be activating.

"Noooo! Why?!" he was **afraid** of the darkness of Yami.

He quickly jumped up to run but the power blew him back before he got far and he slammed into a wall, sliding down to the floor, his one leg over a chunk of rubble concrete.

He still didn't release the puzzle even as pain shot through his legs and back.

When it was done surging and was exuding its light he opened his eyes, full of fear and making inaudible whimpers, he had pain in his body from hitting the wall and his insides shook violently.

He looked up fearfully from his position on the ground at the hooded figure standing over him,

"Ya…Yami…" he stuttered out in a whisper.

The figure reached up and removed his hood and Yugi's eyes widened at the smiling figure,

"Marik…" he breathed out.

"Hello King Of Games…" his voice was mocking, his hands folded in his rich blue robe sleeves, his ash blonde hair seemed to glow around his tan face and his violet eyes reflected the thin streaks of sunlight shining in from cracks between the broken walls.

Yugi scrambled to his feet and looked up at the taller man where he leaned against the wall, clutching the Puzzle,

"You're…alive?" he frowned.

"Something **like **that…but never mind, I've come with a message…" Marik turned and walked away, looking around disinterestedly and then he stopped with his back to Yugi.

Yugi was slightly confused, Marik was dead!

Everyone had been certain of that. He had died even before Taia and Tristan; he was one of the first targets of Yami because he was Yami's keeper in the past life.

"A message?" he asked softly, noticing the unnatural silence that had fallen amongst the dirt and rubble. The wind could be heard blowing through the hole's and gaps in the broken walls but that was all the sound that there was.

Marik turned around, his earrings clinking briefly as he regarded Yugi, his expression was one of calamitous seriousness and Yugi fell silent even in his shallow breathing.

"There is a task at hand for you…but you must remember that while it may be for **you** to carry out, it is in the everyone's best interest…" his eyes narrowed and he shifted so a sun streak cut across his face, "…once again young Yugi, the world is in your **inexperienced** hands…" he sounded angry.

Yugi was offended by Marik's words but he remained quiet, for all his inexperience Marik still came to him so he had been doing something right.

"Nothing to say?" Marik asked and Yugi frowned uncertainly.

"Not really…" he mumbled.

Marik humphed, stared at a far wall in irritation and then continued after an exasperated breath,

"You hold an item of power that saved your life when the Pharaoh attempted to kill you, but it's our secret little Yugi because **many people**…will hate you should they know what you still possess while people are dying around you." He sounded rather grave as he took another silent step closer, "They don't know that Yami isn't at full strength and that you hold the piece that may be able to **end** his reign of power."

Yugi stared at Marik, watching his dark violet eyes flash as his mood shifted every now and then, listening to every painful and frightening word he spoke.

Marik blinked slowly, thoughtfully at Yugi's wide eyed expression,

"It is odd though that he's not come after you…" he raised an eyebrow then, having realized something, "…but that is because he can't find you as long as you use the Millennium Puzzle to hide your whereabouts." He smirked, "But anyway, let me not waste my time here telling you things you already know about yourself…" he looked Yugi dead in the eyes,

"…should I tell you about the sacrifice you will be **compelled** to make in order to restore the world to how you once knew it?" his voice seemed to echo.

Yugi felt a shudder run through him, he didn't know why but he had tears lining his magenta eyes of both fear and happiness at those words.

He needed to cry but he didn't want to in front of Marik, he steeled himself, swallowing back the lump in his throat, he waited for him to tell all.

Marik walked over to where Yugi stood so he could look down at him,

"It's a harsh reality…but in order to save the world and bring Yami back…**you** must **die**…" he whispered looking down at Yugi and his teary eyes.

Yugi was shaking but he held his gaze, head pressed back against the wall as he looked up at Marik,

"T-th- that can't b-be it…" he whispered back clutching the Millennium Puzzle in his hands, his knuckles white.

"You must bleed to save Yami, that is as the prophecy tells it when the Gods predicted that Yami would be an evil Pharaoh in ancient scroll." He explained less dramatically.

Yugi was no idiot and he knew that Marik had tried to conceal those more detailed words.

But it was obviously his duty to tell the prophecy as it was.

If those words were to be followed then Yugi didn't necessarily have to die…but how much blood would he have to spill in order to restore the world?

To save lives and right his wrongs…?

To…save Yami…

"Isn't there anything more specific to the prophecy that you're not telling me?" he asked angrily, tears still visible but feeling significantly less afraid of the scheming bastard standing over him now that he knew his possible fate.

Marik stared at him a moment longer, narrowed his eyes and then walked away.

Yugi saw the dark appearing in the room as Marik prepared to leave back into the shadows,

"There is nothing else, it's your **blood** needed to save the world Yugi…make your decisions wisely…"

And then in a swirl of cold wind and sudden blackness he was gone…and the dust started to settle, hot air permeating the room just as before…leaving Yugi there in silence, clutching the Millenium Puzzle to his chest and breathing heavily.

Lost and confused, afraid and guilty…he stared at the empty room and a warm tear slipped from his eye as he blinked. He dropped to his knees, the Puzzle falling from his shaking hands to the dirtied rubble ground…

'…_what do I do…?_' Yugi's mind asked the question that had an answer…he would decide the fate of the world…he had to sacrifice…

* * *

Yugi woke startled and breathless, looking around the hot stifling darkness at the outlines of strangers in the safe room.

Something was wrong, he was not here…but he was…

…had he really just seen Marik?

Was it just a dream?

Did he have to die?

He touched his cheek and wiped away a warm tear.


	3. Just A Dream? Or Just Reality?

**AN: This chapter has been censored according to FF guidelines. For uncensored version see the AO3 link on my profile.**

* * *

**Just a Dream? Or Just Reality?**

* * *

"Yugi, I'm thinking we head to Tokyo central, we could find some food supplies and bring it back, they usually send that girl's husband but he's kinda sick…" Joey sat next to Yugi on their floor beds.

It had been a week since Yugi had seen Marik, dream or no dream, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

They were still staying in the safe room with the new group of people they'd met but it was beginning to feel pointless and claustrophobic.

Yugi looked at Joey's scarred and tired appearance as he sat slouched next to him,

"Tokyo…central…it's pretty far from here, how do you wanna get there?" he asked quietly.

"Well, they got bicycles…" he glanced at the people in the room, "…so it's easy to get around quietly…" Joey informed moving some dirty hair from his eyes.

"You think we can make it there and back by sundown…" he looked at his hands so he didn't have to see the bags under his best friends eyes, "…it's probably close to noon now."

Joey sighed,

"Let's go Yugi, you need to get out of here, you're pale and all miserable looking…" he nagged.

"It's not like there's any other moods optional…" Yugi smiled weakly.

"Come on…" he insisted to his small friend.

Yugi looked at Joey,

"Yeah okay…let's go." He stood up.

* * *

Yugi and Joey sped along the abandoned roads and main streets on their bicycles, weaving between rubble and broken down or accident crushed cars, they were riding over a bridge now and the sun was hot and tiring. Sweat was seeping through their clothes and their hair clung to his necks but they didn't slow down.

For some bizarre reason being in the open air made them feel much better.

Even if it was dangerous.

Joey laughed as his leg muscles worked while he cycled and he released the handle bars riding through a partially clear part of the bridge road, he raised them up at his sides and grinned.

"Yeah!" he shouted happily as he kept his arms raised.

Yugi glanced at Joey from time to time as they rode, watching him do little wheelie pops and other tricks like using cars for ramps and jumps, he had a ghost of a smile on his face.

Once they were further into the central part of city they slowed down, cycling passed a few trashed stores of clothing and then Yugi slowed and then stopped abruply when he saw something…

His eyes watered with tears, Joey stopped a little ways ahead and looked back,

"Yugi?"

He got off his bike once he saw Yugi drop the bike and stumble over some rubble into a store, he rushed in and there was Yugi on the floor leaning against a battered shelf on his knees crying.

It was a duel monsters merchandise store, the display cabinets' glass was broken and the place was trashed badly but he knew what was so upsetting to Yugi.

Joey didn't look again at the walls or posters as he felt like he would cry too,

"Yugi let's get outta here, come on…" he lifted Yugi under one of his arms, his worn sneakers crunching some glass and crushed concrete pieces the shorter boy was kneeling in.

Yugi pulled away from him and slumped into the debris again,

"Why Joey, why did I make this happen?!" he shouted between his broken sobs and looked around the small store desperately upset.

Everything from T shirts, to mugs, key chains, posters, magazines and even plushies of Yami-Yugi as the King of Games were laying everywhere. This was a store dedicated to the King of Games, Yugi had seen it advertised just before…the Pharaoh took over everything.

"He didn't have enough?" it was a question he yelled at the top of his lungs as he clutched his knees, "He had me…and he had money…and fame…!" Yugi's shoulders shook, he was looking at the pictures of Yami around them, of course everyone thought it was Yugi.

But few knew better.

Joey was frowning, standing just behind Yugi's shaking form, he didn't know what to do for the crying teen,

"Yugi…it's not your fault…" he glanced around and raked a hand through his hair, "…let's go man…" he turned and walked out looking miserable and lost all over again.

Yugi blinked back tears now, wiping his grimy bare forearm across his face while sniffling and his eyes widened,

"Yes…it is my fault…" he inhaled sharply after a painful sob, "…and I will make it right…" he whispered to himself as his eyes narrowed at a large poster of the smiling Pharaoh.

* * *

**Later…**

Joey carried a heavy box of mixed food supplies out of an abandoned food store onto the sidewalk where Yugi sat on the pavement, staring at nothing,

"At least some of it was still good…" Joey said in an exhausted voice.

The streets were eerily quiet under the dull orange sky since everyone was either dead, possessed or hidden, the only thing to see was some birds flying sky high…seemingly so free.

"It's almost dark…" Yugi whispered as he watched a hawk swooping downward in the distance, probably spotted a rat.

"Yeah, I figure we find a place to crash tonight and then we head back in the morning, they got supplies for overnight…" Joey shifted the heavy box in his arms, "…let's go that way, there should be a place to sleep. When we passed it looked like destroyed buildings…" he squinted looking east of where they were along the main road.

"Yeah…okay…" Yugi complied as stood.

He picked up the other box they'd packed, leaving the bicycles inside the store for tomorrow when they needed them and they proceeded toward another night sleeping on cold hard concrete with rats running around.

They walked on in the lowering sunset until they found an old abandoned café with decent shelter and they walked in to rest and off load their boxes, deciding they'd stay there over night.

The shop windows were clear glass and they could sleep behind the café bar counter, so they could see out if the needed but not necessarily be seen by the Shadow Creatures if they came lurking.

They sat and watched the sun set completely from under the half broken awning of a café, once it was finally competently dark –full moonlight being their only light source- Joey stretched and yawned,

"Geez I'm tired…I'm gonna head in Yug, what about you?" he looked back into the diner that was half destroyed but okay for the night.

Yugi glanced back too,

"I'll sit a while…" was all he said and he leaned forward elbows on knees as his legs dangled off the small table belonging to the café.

"Alright…sleep well when you do…and if you hear any shadow whatsitfaces, let me know okay man…g'night." Joey waved a hand and disappeared inside the pitch dark café.

Yugi mumbled a good night, his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and he sat there staring at the empty street absently clutching his satchel on his lap, he never took it off his shoulders. It was quite cold and there was no eerie breeze like usual that replicated a dessert at night, the air was very still.

The high moonlight didn't relieve the streets from being as black and shadowy as ever.

Yugi's mind drifted as he stared at a car crashed halfway into a store across the street, he thought back to when there was a power outage in his neighborhood long ago, before the rise of Yami.

When Yami was still pleasant, Yugi smiled…

* * *

**_Flashback_**

_The lights suddenly went out in the house and Yugi groaned as his TV program was interrupted right at a good part, he sat up on the couch and grumbled trying to make out something in the dark. His eyes would take a while to adjust,_

_"I hate power outs…" he mumbled and looked to the lounge window and the dark purplish sky visible through the partially opened curtains, "…so beautiful…" he smiled._

_"Aibou, do you really not enjoy dark nights?" a flash light blinded Yugi as it was shone directly at him from the hall that lead to the bedrooms._

_Yugi raised a hand and covered his eyes,_

_"Ah Yami, I can't see…" he whined._

_He heard Yami chuckle and he lowered the light only slightly,_

_"Come to the bathroom Yugi…I have a surprise…" his deep velvet voice was soft and alluring._

_Yugi couldn't see him behind the flash light._

_His grandfather wasn't there, it was just after seven and he was at a card convention across town if Yugi remembered correctly,_

_"O…okay…" Yugi got up uncertainly, following the bright white light as Yami directed a path for him through the hallway._

_Eventually he saw a dim orange shine coming from under the bathroom door, Yami lowered the flashlight when Yugi stepped up to the door, he opened and entered into a warm and quixotic setting, large scented candles were all around the bathroom illuminating it in a fire orange glow and steam was floating up from the hot water run in the tub, it made the bathroom seem soft and dream like._

_Yugi broke out in goose bumps as Yami stood very close behind him, the flash light was gone now and the bathroom door closed, trapping in the warmth,_

_"Do you wish to join me, Yugi?" his voice rumbled softly behind Yugi._

_"Uh…yeah okay…" he turned around slowly and gasped, stepping back shyly from the taller man, his cheeks suddenly very hot._

_Yami was completely naked, his tan body almost glowing from the candles light flickering around them, casting shadows over all of Yami's sexy defined muscles. Yugi, recently turned 17 and filled with raging hormones, shivered suddenly and his eyes looked over the older male._

_Yugi's lean body was wracked with a sudden deep longing and need to be closer to Yami._

_He was so perfect…every inch of him._

_He hadn't seen Yami like this before._

_So blatantly naked, before he'd seen him only in a towel or without a shirt but not so beautiful and completely bare._

_His attraction to Yami was always obvious but right then he felt overwhelmed with heat and desire._

_Still, Yugi was not so bold…he had always been innocent in many ways._

_"Oh…Yami…you're…" he breathed in the steam in the room, the heat making him feel lightheaded and sticky._

_"I'm waiting…" Yami smiled and stepped forward to close the gap between them._

_Yami took his shirt off._

_His eye level was at Yami's collar bone, he raised his magenta eyes to look into Yami's own dark violet eyes as Yami threw his shirt one side,_

_"We must hurry, lest we be interrupted by your grandfather…" he said in that wonderful, tummy warming voice._

_Yugi blinked lazily,_

_"In…ter…upted?" he breathed out as his pants fell, his belt clanging on the white bathroom tiles._

_Yami laughed softly and dropped Yugi's boxers before lifting Yugi –eliciting a gasp from him-_

_Yami walked them toward the tub, he stared into the older man's eyes,_

_"Yes…I don't want him interrupting what I plan to do to you tonight, Yugi…" he whispered._

_He felt Yami's legs shift and then his own legs were lowered and Yugi broke out again in goose bumps as hot water was suddenly around his legs up to his knees._

_Yami knelt into the deep tub, Yugi breathed nervously and uncertainly at Yami's words and he knelt as well._

_Yugi had been so dazed he didn't even feel Yami step into the tub._

_Yami leaned forward and laid him back against tub._

_"Hmmm…Yugi…I've waited so long to claim you…" he breathed._

_Yugi was shocked as Yami touched and kissed him._

_Yugi quivered badly._

_Yami didn't stop._

_…when it became too much too fast Yugi made a sound of consternation and scrambled from the bath tub in fright, taking water with him that splashed against the tiles as he climbed out clumsily and slipped on the bathroom floor._

_His eyes were hazy and his body so hot but…Yami was moving so fast…touching him like that…_

_His skin tingled uncomfortably from the touches, he wasn't okay with that, even if he thought he might have been._

_Yugi had tears in his eyes and he continued to shiver in the quiet bathroom…_

_"Yugi…" Yami's voice was still low and somewhat unhappy, Yugi heard the water shift lightly, "…what's the matter?"_

_He took a shaky breath,_

_"I…don't want you…to touch me that way…so fast…" he breathed deeply and turned to look at Yami, his wet knees slipping on the tiles slightly, he was scared of the older man's reaction._

_Yami stared at him, blinked very slowly and then averted his gaze,_

_"…hmm…well then I shall not…come back into the bath…" Yami had a darkness in his eyes, a need and lust…something Yugi didn't **trust**._

_Usually he trusted Yami unconditionally…but right then he trusted his instinct far more._

_With a shaky voice he mumbled,_

_"I'd rather not…I'm going to my room…" he scrambled to his feet and rushed away naked from the bathroom to his room, his door closing down the hall with a quick slam…and he locked it…_

**_End _**

* * *

Yugi's eyes widened in realization as his focus came back to the darkness surrounding him,

"Did you turn on me because I wouldn't have sex with you?" he whispered the question to himself, feeling very hurt by the thought.

It seemed such a trivial thing to drag a world into ruin over…and worse, it would only mean he was even more to blame. If he had just given Yami what he wanted…would things have been different?

He gripped his satchel and pulled out his millennium puzzle,

"You were never the same with me those last weeks after I rejected you…and then you…you destroyed everything…killed my family and friends…you turned on me…" he whispered harshly, eyes narrowing with anger as he clutched the Millenium Puzzle "…you did that because I wouldn't let you have me…" he had tears burning his tired eyes.

The decision was spilt second, his entire body tensing in anger and even an emotion that felt like hate.

"You bastard…" Yugi breathed through clenched teeth as he gripped the Millennium Puzzle in his hands and focused on it…a moment later he felt it release…he released himself.

He felt as if a veil had been slipped over him, caressing his skin as its protection left him…and then he was bare and he felt weak…and angry, so very angry.

He looked around the destruction he could see and resigned himself to dealing with whatever came whenever it came became Yami would now know where to find him and he would come for him.

He glanced back at the café and frowned, saying a silent good bye to his best friend.

Yugi then looked up at the ominous dark sky as he placed the Millennium Puzzle around his neck and he started running away from the café,

"You'll find me…not Joey…" he breathed to himself as he turned a corner into a dark street and kept running as fast as he could.

He felt it before he heard it, there was wind suddenly and it was moving after him, he saw the shadows appear from behind and all around. Reaching over the buildings of the city and from the corners of the alleys, whispering with the wind, they were chasing him and he could feel the temperature drop, the air biting his skin as they closed in around him.

The Shadow Creatures were too fast and the wind became too loud, the cold inhibiting his breathing.

Yugi stopped running and held the Millennium Puzzle up so he could look at its glowing eye,

"You coward! Come get me yourself, Pharaoh!" he shouted as loudly as he could, he was starting to feel dizzy.

Before he could say anything else a Shadow Creature passed through his body and his breath stopped in his lungs forcibly, his blood ran cold…then his insides twisted at the sucking feeling of being disturbed.

He dropped to his knees, hands on the ground as his chest ached and he coughed out clouds of cold air, his eyes were tearing…he felt numb and weak…and then it was all black…

* * *

Joey ran down the dark street where he'd seen Yugi turn into a moment ago, he had woken up when he heard running footsteps and seen Yugi was not there anymore.

He skidded into the street, it was long and empty…and cold.

Joey felt panic rise in his chest,

"Yugi!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he ran down the street.

Turning corner after corner, his chest hurt and his stomach pulled from exhaustion and lack of air…and fear.

"Yugi!" he shouted again loudly, it echoed in the abandoned streets.

When a tired sob wracked his exhausted body he fell to his knees, he started to cry, shivering from a lingering cold in the air , he grabbed at his hair, "…what happened Yugi…did they take you…did they take you too…!?" he whispered in misery to himself.

He was very alone all of a sudden.

He heard the wind become still and the air become naturally cool again and he knew they had Yugi, his only friend left in the world…was gone.

"YUGI!"


	4. The Sacrament

**The Sacrament**

* * *

It was dark.

It was humid.

It smelled of skin oils, lemon grass incense and cinnamon.

It felt like pain and misery…

Yugi opened his magenta eyes, he was so tired, so exhausted and nauseated, the feeling of one's inner body and mind being ripped apart was sure to have some after effect he supposed.

He didn't laugh at the sarcastic thought though because his chest and throat hurt.

He tried to sit up in the warm dark room but he felt restricted so he leaned his head up and he tried to look around, he couldn't see anything but dread set in quickly as he moved his legs and felt the chains around his ankles and then he moved his arms again and heard chains make a noise as well.

He laid his head back on the hard ground and started crying, trying desperately to convince himself he'd done the right thing by letting Yami find him. He didn't cry too softly though and he quickly silenced himself when he heard approaching footsteps from somewhere.

Light…graceful…quick…approaching him very fast and then candles were lit, by no hand but numerous torches suddenly illuminated the hot room. Yugi tried to focus his tired eyes around him as the soft glow settled, it was a small empty space that he'd define as a cell and he was chained to the wall behind him but the chains were long enough that they gave some slack so he wasn't painfully restricted.

He glanced around again, eyes still adjusting before he looked at himself and gasped in shock…he was changed.

He wore only a loin cloth made of a dark purple/black silk with a gold waistband held up by gold clasps, he had gold bands on his arms, legs and even around his neck, he felt when he reached up to feel his neck in a panic…

…he also realized when he heard his panicked breaths in the silence that the footsteps had stopped at some point.

Focusing back on himself he tried to breath quieter, he could feel he had no underwear on beneath the thin silk cloth, he felt so exposed and naked, vulnerable. On his feet were leather sandals that tied up around his calf's and he felt he wore some kind of head gear as well, it was heavy on his head.

The footsteps started up again and voices could be heard, guards stating greetings and praises as the person walked nearer, Yugi knew he was just outside the door of the brick golden glowing room when the footsteps became loud and then paused.

He pressed his legs together trying to save some dignity while he wore such a revealing piece of material and he held his breath as the person entered.

The door made a heavy sound as it opened and the room was filled with more orange candle light from the passage outside.

Yugi's breath came out shakily as he looked up at the tall man who loomed in the doorway,

"Seto…" he whispered seeing the taller boy dressed in ancient Egyptian white and blue robes with large gold shoulder pieces, sharp and rigid highlighting his perfect posture. He had a large gold and blue head piece on his head with a golden snake at the forehead, his skin had a light bronze glow and his dark blue eyes were so empty and reflected the candle light hauntingly as he stared down at Yugi.

He held the Millenium Rod in his hand tightly but Yugi never broke eye contact with the cold blue eyes and Seto smiled cunningly,

"The Pharaoh waits to see you." He stated.

Yugi looked around ashamed and then he hesitantly looked back to Seto and frowned in upset,

"He is such a coward…why won't he come to me himself!" he shouted as tears formed in his eyes.

Seto raised an eyebrow and his lip curled distastefully as if to imply Yugi was not worth even his own time,

"The Pharaoh will do no such thing, certainly not for a harem boy…you will be taken to him when you're ready…" he explained coldly.

Yugi's heart skipped a beat and a few tears spilled over,

"Ha…harem boy…" he repeated and Seto smirked but said nothing, obviously enjoying the fear reflected in Yugi's eyes.

Seto turned to the two guards that were flanking his sides, his robes swaying with him,

"Prepare him with the traditional rituals…then I'll see him in the bathing chambers to assess him." He spoke in an authoritive tone.

"Yes Priest Seth." The guards said in unison, they bowed and Seto walked away and out of sight.

Yugi was panicking as realization crept in startlingly cold and frightening.

* * *

_(Please read the rest of this Chapter on AO3, I do not want to edit it because it takes away from the feeling of the story to remove the darker content. You can visit my FF profile for a link or copy and paste the link below -add www and without spaces etc- to view full chapter. Thanks)_

archiveofourown dot org/works/608533/chapters/1096596


	5. Ungod

Yugi hadn't screamed for very long before he passed out, he had felt ever inch of the needle break the skin and flesh, it had been such an immense pain he couldn't keep himself in the moment and he passed out.

He opened his eyes now, they felt puffy and sandy, he looked through his blurry vision at the lamps along the passage walls as they walked. Two of the guards were holding each of his arms and dragging his light form wherever they were headed now.

Yugi raised his head weakly and looked forward, he saw Seto striding ahead and he watched the majestic robes sway behind the tall man. He felt almost lethargic because he was exhausted, he was in so much pain that his body was throbbing but he tried his best to ignore it.

He needed to focus on his surroundings.

* * *

_Due to this story violating many of this websites content rules I won't upload the majority of this chapter here. Please copy and paste the link below (without spaces and with www) into you web browser to read the chapter on AO3. Alternatively visit my FF profile for a link to AO3 fanfiction website._

_**Sorry for the trouble but FF deleted all of my stories once before, trying to avoid it this time. Thanks**_

**_archiveofourown dot org/works/608533/chapters/1172254_**


	6. Resurrection

**AN: Lyrics and Title of Chapter at the beginning are from the band: HIM (I do not own)**

**Cover Art for this story can be found on my Deviantart Page as well as other story art.**

* * *

_There was a time_  
_When I could breath my life in you_  
_One by one_  
_Your pale fingers started to move_  
_And I touched your face_  
_And all life was erased_  
_You smiled like an angel__You kissed my lips__With those once cold fingertips_  
_You reached out for me_  
_And oh how you missed_  
_You touched my face_  
_And all life was erased_  
_You smiled like an angel__(Fallen from grace)__We've been slaves to this love_  
_From the moment we touched_  
_And keep begging for more_  
_Of this resurrection_

* * *

Yugi's face burned, the side of his face he was lying on was burning worse though, he was only partially coherent, feeling the pain in his lithe form as he lied there, his legs numb and hot, his back hot and aching, his entire lower half in utter pain from what he'd just experienced. He remembered that, yes, the Pharaoh, the evil Pharaoh who he'd been so blinded by his affection for, had raped him, hurt him with every malicious bit of intent he harbored.

Yugi laid there, his face burning, his body burning, he didn't want to open his eyes, he didn't want to see what he'd wake up to for the rest of his life, he wanted to die, but alas he wouldn't, since Yami wouldn't risk fulfilling the prophecy. Yugi wasn't trembling but he managed a sob, no tears, just a small whimper in his misery. He was lying on his stomach, his stomach burned too, every inch of his body burned so badly.

He'd remembered touching the millennium puzzle, he'd felt so hot, so safe when he touched it, not the burn he felt right then…then he must have blacked out, it had caused him to pass out but he at least didn't need to endure the pain that Atemu had been putting him through consciously.

Yugi grimaced inwardly and groaned, he needed to get up…to face his reality. He forced his exhausted eyes to open, they felt as if they were sticking together, sandy and sore from a lack of sleep, he had to make a great effort to open his magenta orbs. When he finally did, everything at first looked white, everything had a glare that he couldn't focus on, however after a moment and a few blinks, Yugi was able to make out concrete, dark tar…a road?

He closed his eyes and found the strength to lift his arms from his sides where they lay, he grit his teeth because he found he was scraping his knuckles as he dragged his hands along the dark surface, once he had his hands beneath him enough to support himself he began lifting himself from the ground, opening his eyes again once he had managed to get into a sitting position, more though he was lying on his side supporting himself with one arm, he couldn't sit on his bottom at that moment because he was in lot of pain.

Yugi focused on his surroundings and as his eyes settled on the road, he could now identify it clearly and his breathing became slightly erratic, he felt himself starting to panic, his eyes growing wider as he hyperventilated.

Bodies…broken buildings…cars wrecks…bodies…dead bodies, so many dead bodies, Yugi let out a shrill cry before he started screaming, stumbling to his feet on wobbly naked legs before tripping over a dead body in his blind fear and he screamed again, his voice breaking at the strained pitch and tears ran from his large eyes…

…**what was this?**

Yugi started running –adrenalin muting his immediate pain- jumping over the bodies that lay in his path, dodging everything and anything of the building wrecks and other debris that he could, tripping occasionally, everything so clear in the bright day light.

He saw ahead of himself at the side of the road, it dropped down a small embankment into a park, damaged concrete stairs were a little further down the road. A slight green could be seen on the bank and at the bottom, obviously from what was previously grass. He reached the edge and clumsily tumbled down the hard sand and sparsely green ground until he reached the bottom where there were a few broken, bare trees and a stream alongside what used to be a children's playground.

But at least there were no bodies.

He was crying hysterically, what had happened? Where was he, where was Egypt, where was the Pharaoh, why were there so many dead bodies? He grabbed his hair as he sat in the grass at the bottom of the hill, his back and his bottom hurt as he sat, and he was in worse condition from falling down the hill, scrapes had formed and were bleeding slightly. As he gripped onto his messy hair he let out one final scream and then it turned into little sobs.

For many long minutes he sat, in pain, but unmoving and he refused to look around, all the while trying to make sense of this situation.

He had blacked out in Atemu's bed chamber, beneath the Pharaoh, in pain like he was now, he had been raped, hadn't he? Yugi opened his wet eyes, ripping his thin trembling hands from his own hair and he opened his legs, moving the loin cloth aside quite unceremoniously to inspect himself, but he didn't need to look very hard because he was so clearly ripped and bleeding it made his stomach churn and he looked away from the dry blood smeared along his thighs and bottom so he wouldn't throw up.

His hand covered his mouth lightly as he fought the urge to be sick.

Only then it occurred to Yugi he was still in his blue loin cloth, he looked at his feet and they were still clad in the sandals, he remembered the gold bands, his neck hurt and now he knew why, he touched the gold bands around his neck.

Yugi felt around the band until he was able to find the small almost hidden clasp and he ripped it from his neck, throwing it onto the sandy damaged ground and relieving his hot neck of the constriction, he then slowly began to unclasp the ones on his arms, hands shaking and delaying the process. He continued to survey his surroundings and ignore the blood on his hands, he figured it was from where the neck bands had cut into his skin.

He looked around, he saw a few more bodies in the distance, as his nose had somehow started to work again he noticed the stench in the air, the stream was a dull color, he assumed it was contaminated with everything from blood to decaying flesh, his surroundings were destroyed but he was obviously in a city.

Once he'd gotten the remaining restraints off, he forced his wobbly legs to a stand and he pulled the loin cloth properly on his waist as it was all he had to cover his body. He started towards the hill that led up to the road, his legs were like jelly and he could hardly stand the sharp pains shooting through him with every step, he hadn't noticed how much pain he was in when he had ran and fallen, naturally fright and adrenalin were helpful in that way.

Yugi struggled up the hill again and when he finally reached the top, several agonizing minutes later, his tears welled up again as he looked over the dead bodies scattered in the streets, the stench in the air was so over whelming, he made a little growl of anger and brought his hand up to dry his eyes, noticing the black smudges and blood that came away on his hand.

He tried to focus on something other than fear and the need to throw up, forcing himself to be strong he walked toward a car wreck nearby, he leaned over at one side of the heap to see the license plate. He was in Japan.

"What… ?" he mumbled to himself as he held his head, his body hot from the sun beating down on him relentlessly, "…Japan…how…Japan?" he was saying as a tiny panic attack settled in his chest. He had been in Egypt, ancient Egypt, with the Pharaoh, what had happened.

Yugi couldn't help himself, it was silent, eerily silent, unbearably hot with his current weak condition, he was so confused, so hurt, so scared,  
"WHAT HAPPENED! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON, STOP THIS PLEASE! I CANT! I CANT…I can't!" his voice weakened and he collapsed on his knees, the concrete surface sending vibrating pain through his limbs as they connected.

He slumped into a hunched kneeling position in the middle of the road, in the middle of so many bodies, although he allowed himself to be miserable, he had no tears, he just stared at the ground,

"I can't…understand…" he mumbled and sniffed dejectedly.

After several moments he dragged himself over to what would have been a sidewalk and he lied against some rubble in the shade of the broken and destroyed building, he sat there, out of the sun, the cold relatively smooth piece of rubble on his back was soothing to his unhealed body.

He laughed lightly, thinking of how the concrete had been burning his face before he woke up, how he was covered in ancient Egyptian writing and pierced in so many painful places, it was fleeting thoughts before he closed his eyes and amidst the death and stale air, he fell into a surprisingly calm sleep.

* * *

Yugi awoke with a start when he felt something on his shoulder,

"What!" he shouted and his now dull magenta eyes focused sharply on the person crouching in front of him with a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Yugi had no time to feel relieved for another person being alive and with him, all he could register was this person with violet eyes and such pure ash blonde hair was someone he hated deeply.

He lunged himself at Marik and knocked him to the concrete on his back, Yugi, despite how much it hurt to do so, straddled the other man and wrapped his tiny frail hands in a surprisingly harsh grip around Marik's bare tanned neck. Yugi was grateful the ancient man hadn't worn one of those stupid neck bands but instead he only wore a single thick gold chain and…

"You!" he tightened his grip on the throat he held and was happy to see Marik's violet eyes darken but open wide as a choking sound emitted from his mouth unhappily.

"You…this has to be your fault! Why! Why…how did he know! Why is everyone dead! You bast…" Yugi groaned in pain as he was bucked up off balance and then thrown off the older man roughly, he landed on the ground painfully but he shook violently in anger and pain.

He didn't attempt to attack Marik again, instead he forced himself to sit up, leaning back on his hands, it was getting dark now, the sun was barely visible in the sky and Marik's tan skin seemed to glow, much like the Pharaoh's had.

Yugi let out a bitter sound of misery as his eyes focused on Marik who had sat up as well and was looking directly ahead at the building rubble, also leaning back on his arms.

Marik wore a leather pants and a white vest with boots, his usual attire from after his ancient life and he had a lot of gold jewelry on… as well as the Millennium Puzzle, his head slowly turned but not all the way in Yugi's direction, his violet eyes focused at a side glance on Yugi, Marik smirked,

"You're very emotional Yugi…what a bother…" he said mockingly.

"Why do you have the puzzle? What happened!" he shouted in a weak broken voice, coughing painfully after the exertion of his vocal cords.

Marik sighed and leaned forward, his legs coming to bend so he could sit with his arms hooked on them, in the silence of the streets, Yugi could actually hear the leather tighten around Marik's legs and he winced at how silent it was,

"…not to mention you're practically naked…" he stated with amusement visible in his eyes, still staring at Yugi, "…perhaps we should find you more appropriate clothing…"

Yugi was fuming by now, he knew Marik was messing with him, he knew Marik could see his wounds, the blood on his legs and hands, face and neck, blood everywhere, bodies everywhere, Marik was playing with him and he had the puzzle which all together made no sense at all.

He stood up and Marik suddenly looked at him fully, as if ready for Yugi if he decided to attack him again, but instead Yugi had gotten up with surprising steadiness…and started to walk away in another direction.

He just wanted to be **away.**

"Yugi?" Marik said in slight confusion and made to stand up as he saw Yugi disappear around a corner, "…Yugi?!" he said a little louder and started walking in Yugi's direction, turning the corner he saw Yugi had started jogging,  
"Where the fuck are you going?!" he asked as he followed in a quick walking pace.

"Leave me alone…I…"

Yugi trailed off and Marik hadn't heard his final words and he grumbled in annoyance, rolling his eyes,

"You can't run away…there is no more running away, this is the end Yugi…you brought us here…you created this…" he shouted loud enough so that Yugi could hear him as they continued along a narrow road, one or two bodies in the way of the path, both just stepping over them as they continued.

"…I know…" Yugi said loud enough and Marik frowned at that statement, seeing Yugi approaching a building and going inside. Marik frowned deeper seeing the broken Japanese store title and understanding it to be a home accessories store.

He didn't panic but he walked quicker finding Yugi to be quite a bother, as he approached the entrance Marik heard footsteps running behind him and he glanced back to the corner,  
"Idiots…I told them to stay there…" he mumbled and walked quickly into the building after Yugi.

"Yugi, where ar- shit!…YUGI!" he shouted in shock and lunged at Yugi, knocking the boy to the ground and sending the meat cleaver flying from Yugi's grasp.

Yugi scrambled from under Marik but the blonde grabbed him roughly by his leg and he fell hard to the ground again, Marik angrily got to his knees, he had hurt himself knocking Yugi to the ground, but seeing Yugi about to slash his throat, with a meat cleaver, had made him panic.

Marik grabbed the struggling teen roughly around his waist and upper torso, he pulled him up and back, further from the direction of the kitchen ware scattered on the ground. He held Yugi to him, Yugi was shaking with anger and fear but he wasn't crying, Marik was kneeling and Yugi was sitting between his legs.

Marik's toned arms around him made him unable to move anywhere but he didn't try, he instead just slumped back into Marik, his back resting against the older man's chest.

"I failed…this is my fault…I let him win and destroy the world Marik…I should be dead…and everyone else should be alive…" he whispered into the darkness of the destroyed room.

Marik shook his head, lying his head atop Yugi's in a gentle manner and Yugi heard him sigh,  
"You are wrong Yugi Moto… you succeeded…you saved everyone that could be saved…" he whispered back, his arm loosening around Yugi's waist to come up and stroke his untidy hair soothingly.

Yugi had an exhausted frown on his face,

"What…I…" he started in a broken voice and Marik laughed quietly but with no malice as he calmed Yugi, holding the frightened boy,

"The world has been through a lot…but by bleeding, by sacrificing your own blood…you have salvaged what was left." He explained in a whisper, "…you could have died…you were willing to die, you gave yourself to that idea unselfishly and in that you managed to full fill the prophecy." Marik was smiling sincerely.

"But…I didn't have to die…" he breathed out, shivering unpleasantly as Marik's body warmth was removed, only momentarily as he heard the sound of a chain and then Marik was holding him again, one arm around his shoulders. Yugi leaned into the warmth and his eyes focused on the Millennium Puzzle held in front of him in Marik's thin hand, it looked dull and was cracked between the puzzle pieces.

"It seems that your lack of understanding in the prophecy was actually what helped you fulfill it Yugi…" he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

As Yugi lay there for that minute or so against Marik, he realized that by his pain and sacrifice of himself to the Pharaoh, by bleeding and being willing to die for the world…he'd saved what he could, just like Marik said.

He let a tiny smile slip onto his chapped and bleeding lips, the puzzle had stopped everything when he touched it, he remembered the safe warmth that had come over him.

He remembered Atemu's shouts of anger and confusion…

Yugi stopped smiling,

"What happened to him?" he asked in a shaken whisper.

Marik blinked and then sighed holding the now renewed trembling boy a little tighter,

"He's resting…permanently." Marik didn't sound sorry.

But Yugi found neither did he, Atemu had been evil, he'd seen it painfully obvious in the beautiful eyes he'd once experienced love through. He didn't feel sad…lonely or even like he would cry…he felt…relief.

"Thank you, Marik…" he said softly and he felt Marik tense at his words before relaxing again,

"No…thank you…" he said in an apologetic tone, knowing the harsh manner in which he'd handled the carrying out of his duties was no good, but Yugi seemed to understand that Marik had actually helped him by being so vague and daunting.

Yugi smiled again and then he heard footsteps running, echoing in the silence and then it came to a halt, he couldn't see as Marik was behind him and he was faced away,

"We couldn't wait any longer…we had to see…"

Yugi's eyes teared up instantly with happiness at the sound of that voice, he stood up as quickly and steadily as he could and he looked at his best friend, Joey's own depressed features turning into an expression of utter joy and relief.

Yugi ran to him, throwing his arms around him and hugging him tightly, Joey hugged him back with a tight squeeze, not willing to let go right away.

Marik stood up and was smiling, Théoden, he was smiling too as he pulled off the tattered coat he wore and placed it on Yugi's shoulders to cover his mostly naked form.

There was silence in the coming darkness as Yugi was held and comforted, Joey was happy he was alive.

There would be a lot to fix and correct, the world was in shambles… but there was hope, there was always hope.


End file.
